Hair
by seolfordragon
Summary: Ever wondered how Kenshin keeps his hair tidy?
1. Part 1

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Anime »Rurouni Kenshin »Hair text size: (+) :(-)  
  
Author: seolfordragon  
  
PG-13 - English - Romance - Reviews: 35 - Publish date: 10-20-02 - Updated: 10-20-02 story id: 1023109 No, I don't own them.  
  
Kenshin sighed. It had been a long day for him. He had returned from a fine days fishing to find a large problem had occurred with one of his favourite chores. The laundry had been finished much earlier in the day and hung out on poles to dry. The sheer volume of the laundry was tremendous; it was the first clear day in over a week. Kaoru and Yahiko had been training in the yard and as usual, the deshi found something to say to upset his sensei. Exactly what it was, Kenshin did not know, but this time it seemed to upset Kaoru more than usual. She had chased her deshi around the yard until somehow they managed to knock over all the laundry. Not content with knocking it over, Kaoru in her enraged state and Yahiko in his state of immense fear, had also managed to trample it into the very muddy ground. Kenshin groaned just thinking about it. All his precious laundry ruined! He spent so much time getting everything clean, the special attention paid to one of Kaoru's particularly dirty training gi's all wasted!  
  
Kenshin sat down on his futon, feeling that he was creaking with exhaustion. He knew he didn't look his age, but sometimes he felt every day of his twenty-eight years. After completing the mammoth task of re-washing the laundry all he wanted to do was sleep. But, first he had something to attend to. It had been strangely windy at the river that day, and Kenshin's long red hair had contrived to tie itself into a million knots. He searched his meagre possessions for his comb. Technically speaking, it wasn't actually his; it belonged to his late wife, Tomoe. He liked being able to remind himself of her each day in that small way. Time did not heal wounds; it just made you accustomed to bearing them.  
  
He removed the tie from his hair and began to comb. He quickly discovered that it was a much more difficult job than he first thought. The wind at the river had done a much better job at tangling his hair than a week of sleeping rough as a rouroni. The situation was not helped by the condition of the comb he was using. It had already been quite old when he had received it, and ten years of travelling over Japan had not been kind to it. Many of the teeth were missing and more worryingly, fine hairline cracks were beginning to appear on the body of the comb itself. After a quite painful tug on his hair he was shocked to hear that he had sworn out loud. He didn't care, It hurt! "Itai" he said softly to himself. Somewhat unusually for an ex-assassin, he had not noticed that he had an audience.  
  
Kaoru was walking from the kitchen to her room when she overheard what sounded like a swear word from Kenshin's room. She was shocked to say the least, who would have thought that Kenshin, the sweet innocent rouroni would know such words! Curious and concerned over what could make Kenshin of all people swear in such a way, she cracked open the shoji door to Kenshin's room. The scene that met her eyes was nothing like what she expected to see. Kenshin was struggling to comb his hair with a battered old comb. He was attempting to detangle a particularly nasty knot of hair just where the majority of the weight of his hair rested on his back. Kaoru couldn't help herself; she was absolutely fascinated. She had never really considered it, but Kenshin's hair was always so neat, he had to keep it tidy in some way. She was startled out of staring at him when he softly swore again. "Itai" he said softly to himself. Kaoru thought of the large comb she had in her room, she decided that she would lend Kenshin her comb and at the next opportunity she would make him a present of a new one.  
  
Kaoru returned to Kenshin's room where an even stranger sight met her eyes. Kenshin was sitting dazed on the floor with tears running down his cheeks. He lent down and picked up something that had been on the floor on his left hand side. Cupping it in both his hands he brokenly murmured, "No, please."  
  
Kenshin was becoming increasingly frustrated with his hair, it had been a very long day and it was hurting his head! He was considering getting his sword and cutting off his troublesome hair, however he thought Kaoru would not like the new look. He gave a particularly hard tug on a troublesome tangle and heard a strange snapping noise. At first he was unconcerned, but as he moved his arm up to take another pass at the tangle he thought that the comb was much lighter than usual. With a great deal of horror, he slowly realised that the comb was indeed lighter than usual, but this was due to the fact that a good half of it had snapped off and was sitting on the floor at his left hand side. Kenshin stared shocked at the half of the comb in his right hand; he didn't know what to think. One of his only remembrances of his wife was gone, broken forever, he would never be able to comb his hair and think of her. He didn't notice that he started crying. All he could think of was "She's gone. Everything of hers is gone now". He lent down and picked the other half of the comb off the floor and cupped both pieces in his hands, trying desperately to make them one again. He didn't notice himself brokenly murmur, "No, please."  
  
"Ke-Kenshin. Daijobu desu ka?" came the startled question from his door. So surprised was Kaoru, that she didn't stop to think before asking. If she had, she may never have asked. The concern for her rouroni overwhelmed any insecurity she may have had about talking to him at such a moment.  
  
Kenshin jumped almost a foot in the air. Ex-assassins are never surprised, and this unexpected interruption gave Kenshin a larger shock than he had in a long time. Not only to be caught unawares, but to have been caught crying, was a severe blow to his confidence. Showing such emotion and worrying Kaoru. He must not worry her; she has enough to deal with in her life. He very quickly wiped his eyes and tried to act happy. "Hai Kaoru- dono" came the eventual reply complete with famous rouroni smile. "Please let her buy it." he pleaded in his thoughts. He had not realised, having never seen himself crying, that people with fair complexions and blue eyes cannot hide that they have been crying. The red eyes and red patches under his eyes completely gave him away.  
  
Kaoru easily saw through his lies, she knew her rouroni. Even without seeing his eyes and teary face she knew he was lieing, he was not all right. But she had no inkling of what could have upset him so. She gave him a rather penetrating look, trying to decide what to do. Quickly she decided to follow her original plan, and help Kenshin with his hair. She walked into his room holding her comb in front of her stomach. "Kenshin, would you allow me to brush your hair for you?" she said with perfect calm. Kenshin's eyebrows shot up nearly off his face and then returned to his face in a slight frown. Seeing this, Kaoru decided to use some of her skills as a kenjitsu instructor. Setting her "instructor" expression on her face she said to Kenshin "Sit down and stay put, no excuses." She made it clear both by her manner and her body language that she would not allow any other course of action. Kenshin knew not to mess with her when she had that expression on her face, so he turned and sat with his back facing her. He was somewhat nervous about this, and he wasn't entirely sure why.  
  
As soon as she began combing his hair he realised the reason behind his nervousness. The way she touched him made him feel things that he shouldn't feel for someone like her. So much younger and more innocent than himself. Already feeling emotionally fragile, her touch was bringing down all his carefully erected barriers between them and that was scaring him, badly. And yet, he couldn't ask her to stop, it was torture and he didn't want it to end. He jumped when Kaoru's fingers stroked around his ear and neck to gather up the hair to comb. It just felt so good!  
  
Kaoru began at the very tips of Kenshin's hair, knowing from her own painful experience that the tangles must be removed below, before the larger ones above can even be attempted. She was being very careful not to hurt him, but was finding the task more distracting than she thought it would be. She had always been fascinated by Kenshin's hair, the colour, and the length. Now she had a legitimate excuse to play with it. She couldn't resist. Knowing that he couldn't see her, she lent in while combing to allow her face to nestle in his hair. She was correct in thinking that he would assume that this was the comb, and not actually she. But she knew she couldn't stay there long, he might turn around and catch her. Kaoru reluctantly retreated to her original position. Having done most of his hair, she reached around to the side of his face to collect more of his hair. Impulsively she stroked around his ear and then down his neck under the pretence of collecting more hair to comb. She noticed that he jumped slightly when she first touched him, but that he unconsciously moved his head to allow her more access when she reached his neck.  
  
Having now finished all she could from behind him, she moved in front of him to comb the front of his hair above his eyes. She was surprised to find that he had his eyes closed and looked incredibly relaxed with a slight smile on his lips. Kaoru noticed that the only thing about Kenshin that did not seem relaxed were his hands that were fiercely clutching at his old comb, now broken in two pieces. She decided to leave asking him about that until she had finished his hair. Very carefully she ran the comb through his fringe and bangs making sure the teeth of the comb avoided his eyes and ears. So focused on this was she that she failed to notice that Kenshin no longer had his eyes closed.  
  
He was in fact staring at her, at a specific part of her. Due to the way she was kneeling in front of him, her mouth was directly in front of his eyes. It was not like he was purposefully watching them, but that they were directly in front of him. Regardless of the excuses Kenshin was making for himself, he was staring at Kaoru's lips.  
  
Kaoru did not notice Kenshin staring at her. She did not notice herself bite her lip in concentration when dealing with a tight knot in Kenshin's fringe. She certainly did not notice him licking his lips in an unconscious response. What she did notice however was Kenshin very quickly pushing himself slightly up and forwards and kissing her on the lips.  
  
Kenshin did not notice his hands drop the comb on the floor and hold her face in his hands.  
  
Two thuds were heard in rapid succession. Two shocked and incredibly embarrassed people were now kneeling directly opposite each other.  
  
Kaoru was shocked beyond belief, "Did he just do that?" she thought to herself.  
  
Kenshin was shocked beyond belief, "Did I just do that?" he thought to himself.  
  
Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Especially those telling me that my Japanese spelling and grammar is wrong. I'm not Japanese, so I'm quite likely to get it wrong! 


	2. Part 2

The minutes stretched.  
  
Mountains were worn away in the pause, the silence broken only by ragged breathing and the snores of a young boy several rooms away.  
  
Two pairs of eyes were wide with shock, each staring at the other occupant of the room. Four hands were nervously clutching at two separate sleeping yukata's.  
  
The semi-silence continued.  
  
Characteristically it was Kaoru who made the first move. The young kendo instructor had taken the silence on Kenshin's part as a negative sign. He was quite obviously mortified at what he had done, and had never wanted to do something like that. Her mind extrapolated all sorts of reasons for Kenshin kissing her, all leading to one word. Mistake. This was not how she felt, kissing Kenshin had always been something she had imagined and wanted. However, looking at his horrified face, it was all she could think.  
  
"I'll go." she stated, attempting to keep all the emotions she was feeling out of her voice. She could feel her eyes watering and blinked continuously in order that the tears in her eyes would not fall.  
  
Kenshin was having a panic attack. The flat dead sound that came out of her mouth sounded so unlike her, always so joyful and upbeat. He has stepped over the line tonight, overstepping the normal boundaries of what friendship entails. Kaoru will never want to speak to him again, which will be the death of him. It would be like living with no light, only darkness. He ruined everything. Just like he ruined Tomoe.  
  
Visions of a blood splattered white kimono and a smile are torture. He does not notice his tears falling down his face, or the hand screwed up in his hair pulling painfully. Anything to give him something else to focus on, anything but the painful memories of how he always hurts the ones that he loves the most.  
  
Kaoru had risen to her feet and turned her back on Kenshin. Satisfied that he could no longer see her face, she allowed the first tear to fall. About to take the first step towards the door a sudden resistance was encountered from her right leg causing her to lose her balance. Looking down, she could see Kenshin's right hand curled around her ankle, quite firm, but very careful as he always was not to hurt her. "Nani?" even to her she sounded like she was going to cry. She didn't understand what was happening with Kenshin anymore. Never had she seen him with his emotions this close to the surface. Feelings were for Kenshin, a closely guarded secret, hidden and obscured behind the facade of a cheerful personality. Feelings could be used against you, and hurt you.  
  
Looking to him, she immediately noticed his distress. The tears were pouring down his cheeks again and his left hand was tugging painfully at a lock of his red hair. Seeing his pain so clearly, her pain seemed to seem insignificant and petty by comparison. She recalled that he had already been upset before she entered the room. In a lightening flash of inspiration she realised why. Today, this day, was the death anniversary of Tomoe, Kenshins deceased wife. Her instinct to run away from the source of her pain was superseded by her instinct to comfort the one she loves.  
  
Stepping her left foot around behind him, she knelt down once more. One knee nestling behind him, in between his feet, the other resting slightly behind his right knee. His right hand was fisted in the material of her sleeping yukata, ensuring that she wouldn't leave. Carefully she coaxed him from his kneeling position into a cross legged one, manuvering him so he was sitting directly between her legs, his back facing her stomach. Tentatively, she put her hands on his shoulder blades, letting him know that she was there for him.  
  
Kenshin didn't really know why he had grabbed Kaoru's ankle like that, it hadn't really been a conscious thought on his part. All his thoughts were that he didn't want her to leave him, he didn't want to be alone. He didn't want her to leave crying, leaving him crying. Kenshin felt her stop and look down at him through his grip on her leg. She then began to turn towards him, which necessitated him loosening his hold on her lower leg. Concerned that he was causing her physical pain through continuing to hold her ankle while she was moving, he relinquished his hold for one on the bottom of her yukata. He didn't care what she was doing, as long as she stayed.  
  
Kenshin succumbed to the pulling and poking and sat in the position that Kaoru wanted, cross legged, in front of her. The touch of her hands on his shoulders was most unexpected, though certainly not unwelcome. Without thinking, he leaned back into her, her touch calming him from his previous frenzy of grief and unhappiness. The tears no longer fell, the fist was removed from his hair by her concerned hands and placed in his lap. Slowly, almost at the speed that mountains grow, her hands moved underneath his arms to wrap around his chest.  
  
"Shh" Came the soothing whisper into his ear, "It is all right to grieve. It is all right to receive comfort."  
  
A hoarse reply came unexpectedly, "Is it all right for a hitokiri, a monster, that killed countless people, including his own wife, is it all right for such an inhuman demon to grieve? To receive comfort?"  
  
Kaoru tightened her arms around him while thinking on her reply. It was of vital importance to word it correctly.  
  
"Hitokiri are allowed to grieve," She began seriously. "They are just humans. Behind the skills, behind the sword, they are no different to anyone else. Hitokiri are not monsters. They are soldiers who were given a tremendously difficult job to do during the war. Himura Kenshin is allowed to grieve! Himura Kenshin is just a man! A person who has as much right to happiness to love as any other on this planet, if not more!"  
  
The speech, which had started out calm and collected had quickly escalated into a passionate entreaty to Kenshin to finally see himself as what he was. A man. Who has every right to be happy. Feeling mentally exhausted Kaoru positioned herself so that she could rest her cheek on Kenshin's shoulder, where the curve of his neck met his torso. Impulsively she turned her head and kissed the skin exposed at his neck which was not covered by his yukata.  
  
Kenshin looked like the stereotype of surprise, previously bloodshot eyes swirling around and around and around. Her speech had knocked him flat. The words were slowly sinking in when he found himself losing track of all concious thought at the sensation of her lips on his neck. He lost track of whether he was breathing out or in, and made an odd gasping sound.  
  
Did he want this to happen? In their current, totally inappropriate, position it would be easy to, to, well, do what they both wanted. In his case, needed was probably a more appropriate term. This terrible feeling of loneliness, Kaoru could make it go away, and stay away, forever.  
  
His decision made, Kenshin reached for Kaoru's arms, which were still wrapped around his chest. He tentatively slid his hands down the soft cloth covering her arms till he reached her hands. Lightly levering them off his body, he slipped his thumbs underneath to the palm of her hands while leaving his hands covering hers. Kenshin stroked the palms of her hands in what he hoped was an encouraging manner and tipped his head to the side and back, resting his head on Kaorus shoulder.  
  
Kaoru's shock was total when she felt Kenshin's hands on her arms and when he moved his hands down to hers and held her hands like that she thought that she would explode from happiness. When he tipped his head back, it was obvious what he wanted and she smiled.  
  
Kaoru tightened the embrace she was giving Kenshin for a fraction of a second and nuzzled her nose into his neck. Kenshin gasped, her nose was so cold and unexpected. She finally kissed his neck, beginning in the hollow of his shoulder working her way up to the corner of his jaw. Kenshin moved her hands from around his chest, one moving down to rest on his stomach and the other moving up to rest on the "V" exposed on his chest. The skin to skin contact was electrifying. Kenshin breathed deeply as with his encouragement, Kaoru began to explore the tactile sensations she could both give and receive.  
  
***** End of Part 2  
  
Now that I've finally decided in what direction i should take the rest of this story i can finally finish it! There will be at least one more chapter. Two, if people want a lemon. Do people want?  
  
Apologies for not updating this fic. Real life as ever does intrude on the writing world.  
  
Much thanks to those who reviewed. Especially to Mara Amber for her corrections of my Japanese.  
  
Seolfordragon.  
  
Going to hell in a handkerchief.  
  
*note.  
  
Hahah. I accidentaly forgot to spellcheck this before uploading! How embarrasing! 


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